One More Day
by abyssed
Summary: Genesis is hurt but is too stubborn to admit it. Sephiroth knows his friend is hurting. Rather than point out Genesis' obvious weakness, Sephiroth takes a kinder approach with his little shifting game. Cutesy but sad piece about what happened after THAT VR battle.


**Title:** One More Day  
**Fandom:** Final Fantasy 7  
**Characters and/or Pairings:** Genesis/Sephiroth  
**Words:** 1,336  
**Rating:** PG  
**Author's Note:** Sephiroth torturing Genesis on his couch. No, not in _that_way! This fic was inspired by the song "Fall To Pieces" by Avril Lavigne.

Four days.

Four days. Nine hours. Forty-three minutes.

And If Sephiroth wanted to be _really_ precise -

- twenty-eight seconds.

... and counting.

Sephiroth sighed inwardly. It wasn't going to happen anytime soon. That, he was sure of. Genesis would continue to sit there in pain, trying not to flinch as Sephiroth shifted beside him on the couch, the General's shoulder rubbing against Genesis' injured one with every subtle movement. Sephiroth had to wonder just what it was that made the other so damn stubborn about this. Surely even Genesis could understand that prolonging his own torture was futile?

They had been sitting side by side in companionable silence in Sephiroth's apartment for almost two hours now, which was an achievement in itself as Genesis was not one to stay still for long periods of time. Or silent, for that matter. Genesis wasn't even reciting LOVELESS which proved to be worrying in any case. There was also no fidgeting around, no sarcastic comments, no temper flare ups, _nothing._ Just silence save for the faint thump of their respective heartbeats and the occasional sigh from Genesis.

It was almost..._nice._ Or at least, it would have been nice if Genesis hadn't been gritting his teeth and trembling the whole time. Sephiroth knew Genesis well enough to know that it was something more than just his injury that had the soldier refusing to speak. However, there was no point in asking just what that reason was. Sephiroth knew that from experience. If Genesis didn't want him to know, then he wouldn't know. Though Angeal might ...

Sephiroth shifted again continuing their little game.

In the stillness that surrounded them, the General's ears could easily pick up on the sharp intake of breath as once again their shoulders touched. He snuck a quick glance at Genesis who had his eyes clenched shut, gloved fingers digging into the arm rest of the couch in a perfect death grip. In fact, Sephiroth wouldn't have been greatly surprised if the wood had splintered and crumbled under those fingers, had Genesis pressed down any harder.

And really, what had the couch done to incur such wrath?

Sephiroth had always known Genesis to be restless. There were times when it seemed the man didn't have even a _shred_ of patience. Sephiroth was so used to seeing Genesis in a flurry of red and black, always moving, always talking, always teasing and smirking. So this sudden slump was unnerving and despite himself, Sephiroth was growing concerned by the minute.

"Genesis."

"Just leave it, will you?" Genesis didn't move from his position, he continued to gaze straight ahead at the blank wall at the opposite end of the room. Sephiroth couldn't be sure if Genesis had even opened his mouth to say it. The words had been _breathed_ out in a mixture of pain and annoyance.

"You're hurt, _wounded._ Stop being foolish and get the medical help you require."

"I said, _no_!" This time however, there was much more force behind the words. Genesis glared at him for a few moments, mako eyes looking as though they could burn a hole through the General. And as quickly as the fire had flared, it went out completely, leaving Genesis looking more drained than before.

Sephiroth gazed back, not backing down. Unlike Genesis, he didn't have to glare at someone to look intimidating. Merely fixing his emerald green eyes on the person involved usually did the trick. However, the redhead wasn't just some random person. It was _Genesis._ His friend, his comrade, his ...

Therefore it wouldn't work to the same extent. Sephiroth entertained the idea of dragging Genesis – kicking and screaming if he had to – to the medical ward where his wound could be treated. He was almost about to suggest it when Genesis' next words stopped him short.

"Please. Just one more day."

Genesis was _pleading._ Sephiroth had never heard him sound and look so defeated before. He didn't have the heart to argue ... or the nerve to place his hand comfortingly on the redhead's arm. Instead he merely nodded and soon peace fell over them once more.

It had taken Genesis all the effort he had not to break down completely in front of Sephiroth. The hero he'd looked up to and admired for so long. Despite himself, that one word he swore he'd never utter had slipped out. He mentally berated himself for it.

Somehow time was running out. He could _feel_ it. It was ludicrous to think so, after all, he was one of the elite, a Frist Class within ShinRa's SOLDIER. But something inside had snapped, _broken._After that last sparring match he'd had with Sephiroth, he'd known. Something was not quite right. He didn't know what was so different this time. They'd had countless matches, sneaking into the VR training grounds when the Second and Third Classes were busy with various assignments.

It had been an accident, because he knew Sephiroth would never have willingly hurt him. They had been locked in a fierce stalemate, swords clashed, neither one willing to back down. And maybe Genesis had gone a little too far in his obsession to finally beat Sephiroth in a match. Angeal could see it from a mile off. Genesis was ready to snap, either with rage or just plain frustration. Angeal had intervened, putting himself between the two, his sword easily blocking both of theirs. However, he hadn't counted on Genesis using materia. The blast from Genesis's hand, sliced right through the sword, in turn striking him through the shoulder.

And of course, the match had come to a complete halt.

At first Genesis hadn't been too worried, he had said it himself. _It was just a scrape._ However that changed when the wound showed no signs of healing. Genesis knew something was seriously wrong with him, he just couldn't bring himself to face it yet, thus keeping it a secret from Sephiroth and even Angeal, his childhood friend. Having it looked over by ShinRa's medical staff would only confirm his fears.

No, not today. He didn't have the energy to get up and walk away. Despite Spehiroth's constant shifting which Genesis _knew_ was being done on purpose, he was just too comfortable in the other's company to want to leave. It was rare for them to spend time like this. It was different from the usual VR training and meet ups. This was more ... intimate. And Genesis found himself revelling in the General's presence, though he would be damned if he ever admitted it out loud. His pain was starting to numb, thankfully. And Sephiroth's steady heartbeat and soft breath was lulling him into a deeply relaxed state.

If only that damn shifting would stop!

And those glances Sephiroth kept throwing at him. They had been carefully disguised but Genesis could see the underlying emotion behind them. Concern.

It put him on edge.

He didn't want talk about this, least of all to Sephiroth. He couldn't for the fear his voice would crack and he would show a vulnerability that was rarely ever seen by anyone.

Genesis turned his head away and sighed once more. He couldn't trust himself to not fall to pieces before the General – the one person Genesis held in such high regard. It was better no to look into those emerald green eyes that seemed to know so much.

A few seconds later, Genesis felt another movement behind him. This time however, it wasn't one of those annoying shifts but the sudden softness of a cushion being placed carefully behind his injured shoulder. And Genesis was glad that he was facing the other way, so Sephiroth couldn't see the soft smile that graced his features before he finally fell into a peaceful sleep.


End file.
